happybday29475

Co Springs is a nice enough tourist town. There's quite a nice and famous hotel called The Brooadmoore...and you can drive/take the train/ ride your bike to the top of Pike's Peak...which is quite a neat thing to do. Closer to home, it's the headquarters of the nefarious USAC, and the location of a very nice velodrome.

happybday29475

May 1 - CTL 64. OK, it's really a skosh higher, since this is sort of a rest week, and I was tapering for a race today (which got cancelled because spring 2016 has been cancelled for Colorado).

(CTL history: Dec 1: morphine; Jan 1: 11; Feb 1: 29; Mar 1: 47; April 1: 51).

It turns out that I sort of start to feel like racer boy when my CTL gets above 60ish. I know that you can't read too much into a single boiled down number...but there is a change somewhere around there from "this is hard" to "come on, faster now!"....and I get moments of actually feeling strong on the bike...like talking to mountains "that's all you got?" lol.

Anyway my power is still down from last summer, but it's time to go mix it up!

Heathpack 

It was just about my SRM batteries. He actually has no particular interest in Colorado Springs. I can't see cutting something else out to head down there since my batteries are fine. Unless we want to get up with our Air Force friend, that would maybe be worth a detour. But quite honestly it would be easier to just invite her to come sailing in LA and see her that way.

Heathpack 

These boiled down numbers are just easy shorthand ways to communicate on BF. We know what you mean.

So when is the new first-race-of-the-season for you?

Hermes

@Heathpack Colorado Springs has a 333 m concrete track at 6,000 feet of elevation. Last year, they got approval to put a temporary roof (it has to be removed for X number of months each year) over it and it was where Stevens set the hour record.



If you go to Colorado Springs, let Mr H go to SRM and you go to the track, rent a bike and do a workout at altitude. It would be a blast and you could see how totally different a 333 feels compared to VSC. When I spent a month last year in OC and rode VSC a lot, when I went to Hellyer, it was so different.

Heathpack 

Wow, @Hermes, that track looks flat. What with the little track inside the big track? For warm ups?

If we went to Co Springs, I'm sure I'd go see this Velodrome & try to ride with my friend. And I'm sure Mr H would go attempt to hang out with SRM and talk power meters with them. He'd probably try to talk them into a tour of their facility and showing him the inside of a power meter and teaching him how to replace the battery, etc. I'm not 100% sure SRM would be that receptive but you never know. Sometimes when you do a niche thing & someone is really interested in it, you're happy to show them around.

But we don't have tons of time in Colorado as it is. I'm not sure Co Springs will make the cut.

revchuck 

There's also a covered track in Colorado Springs, that's where Evie Stevens took the hour record. I don't know if it's open to the public.

I spent two and a half years at Ft. Carson. I have great memories of C Springs!

sarals 

That is one incredible looking facility.

valygrl

Not sure yet if it makes sense to try to fit it in. I sure wish it was covered, I would definitely be interested in winter. But it can't be ridden if it's even a little wet.

Heathpack 

Here's the video of the exchanges.

I start in 2nd position behind Mr Helo and only he & I are doing the exchanges. Newby is in the back.

I look at the video and I think, "wow, I can't ride a straight line".

This is video at the beginning of the process, I am not really sure how the thing is going to go down and I am hanging back, thinking a little too much. It went a little better at the end.

Newby is looking pretty good for a guy who doesn't ride a bike, don't you think? Lol, he said to me that he's starting with the track because he can't imagine riding a bike for 2 hours or something "really long like that", he doesn't think he'd be capable of it. I was totally speechless, that just did not compute.

Heathpack 

So, @YogaKat, are you going to tell us about your first century ride or what?!

YogaKat

Had to recuperate last night.

I had mentioned to Mr. YogaKat that I wanted to get at least one century in before HHH. His reply was that I should get in at least four or more due to the heat, etc. I had planned on getting some distance in Sunday but it wasn't until I woke up yesterday that I decided to try to go for the whole 100.

It was chilly for me - in the high 40s to mid 60s throughout the day with N and NW winds from 16 to 28 mph. I mapped out my route starting the first half riding the roads with more elevations to the north. My first stop was 30 miles in at a coffee shop in Edmond where I grabbed a coffee and fruit plate. Made it back to the house at about 57 miles, ran in ate a banana and used the restroom. Those restrooms are important when there aren't rest stops set up! lol

From there I headed down to my usual bike paths/roads around the lake and the West River trail thinking it best to finish in my comfort zone considering I didn't know how worn out I would be. 70 miles in and I was questioning my sanity and really getting annoyed with the rough headwinds. 15 miles to go... the hardest of them all. Legs hurt, cursing winds... just get there!

Last few weeks or so I've been doing my lunch break rides in the big ring after it finally dawned on me that I live in the flats and there's really no reason to be in the lower gear. Turns out this was a life saver at the end of the ride where I dropped down into the mid ring and was able to spin on to the 100th mile.

I was stocked with plenty of liquids and had three Larabar minis with me. That plus the fruit plate and banana seemed to take care of me when I started to lose energy. (Plus I had a large bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.)

When I arrived home, every part of my body hurt and I was a little dizzy. As soon as I had a nice hot shower, a huge bowl of beef stew and a good beer I was right as rain and super excited. I had finally done it!

I expected to be quite sore this morning but the only adverse effects seem to be a little bit of a sore neck from turning my head to check traffic so often and mental fatigue. I'm looking at getting in some more every few weeks or so and tweaking nutrition a little as I get acclimated to the higher temps as they rise.

I finished at 6:53 moving time and total of 9:23. Those breaks really add up on long ride!

revchuck 

@YogaKat - the halfway point of a century is at about the 80 mile mark. So psyched that you did so well!

YogaKat

Ain't that the truth! I've learned that riding solo, the mental game is a booger. "I've got plenty of miles in, I could just head back.... Noooo! You are finishing this!"

Thank you so much!

Hermes

Most 333 meter tracks have a warmup circle in the center. Hellyer, Marymoore and Trexler Town have them. Even the Superdrome, a 250 m track in Frsico, TX has a small warmup circle. However, it is sort of a misnomer because one must keep the speed down where there is a circle. So they tend to be areas to roll around waiting for your time on the track or a cool down area. Most warmup is done on the track during a designated warmup time or on a trainer / rollers off the track.

You look good on the track and the exchanges are fine for now. Your position looks good was well comparing it to the others. If you wanted a more aero position, you bend your elbows. Also, note the difference between your handlebars and Mr. Helo. He has endurance bars (less bend and therefor less seat to bar drop) and you have traditional sprint bars that offer more seat to bar drop. If a rider wants a more upright position, it is easy to flip the stem up.

If you purchase a track bike, you want endurance bars and pursuit aerobars - Manton can specify those for you. You change the cockpit depending on what event you are doing. And you may think, why would you ever want endurance drop bars? Well, some structured sessions prohibit aerobars and if you want to motor pace, it is much easier to control the bike in a very fast pace line in endurance bars versus pursuit bars. Having said that, once you get strength, adaptation and power plus a lot of skill with pursuit aerobars, you will be able to ride them in motor games. However, IMO, it is always better to use endurance bars for true motor games (more power and control) which is different from training using the motor where aerobars are perfect and safe.

Heathpack 

Thanks @Hermes.

Nice ride, @YogaKat! 100 solo miles is way tougher than 100 group miles. I like your husband's way of thinking, I tend towards being over-prepared for things though.

sarals 

@YogaKat, awesome. Just awesome! I am so proud of you, girl. To get out there solo and do 100 miles is mentally tough, never mind the physical stuff. I never doubted it was something you could (and would) do, and you know, to go out unplanned and get a century in the books makes it that much sweeter. And - tell everyone what your average speed was!

sarals 

@Heathpack. Looking REALLY smooth out there. You have a very fluid pedal stroke, nice. @Hermes is the man when it comes to the track, and if he said your exchange looked good, great - it certainly looked good to me. It looked like fun, too.

Man, I'd love to ride those boards sometime....

YogaKat

Agreed. I think I may have mentioned before that generally speaking I'm more chaos and he's more order - we seem to even each other out. I am so thankful that he got me on the ball to go ahead and start getting these done now.

I love your video! You look great out there Heathpack!

Thank you so much sarals! It wasn't unplanned, I planned it a couple of hours before.

My average speed was 14.6mph which was higher than I expected with the winds and length of the ride. My heart rate was lower than usual too but that wasn't much of a surprise. I just have a different mindset when I head out for longer miles which changes the way I ride.

shovelhd

YK, 100 miles solo on platform pedals? Wow. Impressive. Those were some tough temps and conditions. Good on you for the beef stew afterwards. You need protein ASAP. That's why you weren't sore the next day. The shorter the delay to protein the less pain later. Keep us posted for your next adventure!!!

LAJ

Nicely done, @YogaKat.

The longer the ride, the more you find out how well you get along with yourself. Right now, it looks like you're getting along fine.

Heathpack 

Long story, but I just rode tomorrow's ride today. After already riding today's ride this morning.

Intervals in the am and also coffee with friends, going one direction through my favorite canyon. Then group ride in the pm, going the other direction again through my favorite canyon. I was super tired but I did bag a teensy QOM on Strava.

It wound up being 53 miles and 220 TSS, which is a pretty respectable Monday. Off tomorrow and the rest of the week is light, though, because I have the Santiago Cyn TT on Sat.

YogaKat

Thanks for the support LAJ and shovel! Will post again after the next one.

Meanwhile I will continue to enjoy following along with everyone's reports.

sarals 

I'll do a JRA today. I was scheduled by my employer to go to Shreveport yesterday for simulator training, but they cancelled the trip over the weekend. Coach had me down for ***s today and tomorrow. Maybe I will *** today and ride tomorrow? We'll see which way my nose takes me.

I spent some quality time working on my Look 566 yesterday. The poor thing was FILTHY. I removed the chain, cleaned it, cleaned the driveline, brake calipers, and washed and waxed the frame. I discovered along the way that the bottom jockey wheel in the derailleur cage doesn't spin freely. That particular wheel has a sealed bearing, the other one has an open ceramic bearing. I removed it and inspected it. The bearing isn't rough, it just won't spin easily. I had noticed that the driveline on that bike doesn't move as easily as the drivelines do on all of my other bikes. I think I found the answer, and I'm going to have to buy a new jockey wheel (do they come in sets?) for it.

Always something.

sarals 

I have a confession to make.

In replaying the crit I raced Sunday, one glaring thought comes up over and over and over. I was NOT aggressive. I mentioned that on my Facebook page yesterday and got some good responses (notably from @Cleave).

I'm a bit ashamed about my caution and lack of assertiveness. As I said on FB, "caution and race do not belong in the same sentence" (or something like that). With the caveat, of course, that unnecessary risk taking is foolish. Calculated risk is a part of racing, however. You have to move, and you have to do it now. Milliseconds to evaluate and make the decision are required. Sure, you do what you can to mitigate hazards (wheel overlap, dive bombing corners, etc), but aggression and assertiveness are part of and are necessary ingredients to success in a mass start race.

I've lost that edge. I've become quite hesitant, almost nervous, and it's been building over the last year. On this past Sunday, I could have stayed in and raced with those guys for much longer than I did, and actually raced, too, because they were more animated than the women usually are and the bike skills were certainly there. I was so darned spooked about putting my front wheel into an opening, an opening big enough to slot the whole bike into and not just a wheel overlap, that I missed many opportunities to move up and stay sheltered. At the start, I could have easily jumped up to the third row, or even higher, if I'd JUST done it.

I don't know where my nerve went. Or why. That I lost two solid teammates early last season to crashes (pelvis fractures) certainly weighed on me, as did a nasty crash in a 3/4 combined crit that happened right in front of me. Then there was the silliness in a couple of the Early Bird crits, where people freaked out when minor contact was made and did stupid things. Also, I haven't been able to do many mass start races or fast group rides, and I'm lacking in proficiency. I suppose all of that has added up and has caused my "Spidey Sense" to be full tilt boogie, overly sensitive. Whatever the reason, I've got to do something about it. Either that or quit mass start events and just do TT's, which I don't want to do. I know that the preponderance of 60+ women who still race avoid the mass start races, and most say it's because of the young strength vs. age disparity, but I've learned that's just the surface. In my case, I may be succumbing to the same mindset as the other 60+ racers. I hope not. I want to and need to race up to my potential. That's why I started racing in the first place.